


Operation Iron Winter

by Bill_Longbow



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Domestic Avengers, Fluff, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) Lives, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) is a Good Bro, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Protective Jarvis (Iron Man movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 04:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13919610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bill_Longbow/pseuds/Bill_Longbow
Summary: He had done his research, he had run the numbers and it all added up. Sometimes an AI just had to take matters into its own hands, so to speak.





	Operation Iron Winter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [araydre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/araydre/gifts).



> For the wonderful, talented and sweet Araydre! I wish you a wonderful birthday and nothing but good for the next year!

January 10th 10.20 pm _Sergeant Barnes’ sleeping quarters_

 

“Sergeant Barnes, if I could have a word?”

The sergeant was making ready for bed, picking out a sleeping attire from his closet. Normally he didn’t like to bother his charges in their bedrooms, but the sergeant had proven to be surprisingly difficult to corner elsewhere.

The sergeant looked up sharp. “Is there a problem? Is it Tony?”

It warmed his artificial heart that the sergeant’s first thought was of sir. It was also why JARVIS had embarked on this specific mission.

“Sir is quite alright, sergeant, I beg your pardon for making you believe otherwise.”

The sergeant looked relieved. “Nah, that’s okay, buddy. Shoot, what’s on your mind?” He continued to rummage through his closet.

“You might have noticed that sir isn’t as concerned with his own well being as with that of others.”

The sergeant snorted while stepping out of his jeans and into a sweat pants. “You could say that.”

“Indeed. One could even argue he’d rather put the well being of his team members before that of his own.”

The sergeant stopped pulling on his pants for a second before continuing, a sign JARVIS recognised as him paying extra attention. “Go on.”

“I'd like to recruit your help, sergeant Barnes.” This was the tricky part of his plan.

“I thought you had the cajoling down to a pat, J,” the sergeant smiled at one of his cameras.

“You're not wrong, sergeant, unfortunately sir and I disagree on what constitutes as proper self care, and he doesn't hesitate to mute me when he thinks I'm ‘dragging him down’. Please imagine air quotes with that last bit.”

The sergeant huffed a laugh and sat down on his bed. “What you want _me_ to do then?”

“Nothing untowards, I assure you. I have… noticed sir to be particularly sensitive to _your_ needs, sergeant Barnes.”

The sergeant sat up straighter, looking puzzled and… blushing? According to his calculations this could increase the likelihood of success in his endeavour by 3.7 percent.

“Furthermore, sir is more likely to go to bed at night when he has been out of the tower, than when he is in his workshop.” JARVIS hoped the sergeant would come to his own conclusion with this information. Research showed humans were much more inclined to cooperate when they had some say in the thought process.

“You want me to take Tony out?” The sergeant now sounded puzzled as well as looking it. JARVIS ran a quick check, but he could find no information that said two men couldn’t go out together, quite the contrary.

“Indeed.”

The sergeant thought for a bit. “You want me to take him out, but make him believe he’s actually doing me a favour?”

“That is correct, sergeant.” If JARVIS had hands he would be rubbing them together in satisfaction. The seed had been planted, and he had faith the sergeant wouldn’t disappoint him.

 

~~~~~

 

January 12th 5:52 pm _workshop_

 

“So you’re saying you never ate raw fish? In your entire life?” Sir exclaimed, throwing up his hands before putting them on his hips and shaking his head. Sir always had a penchant for the dramatics JARVIS thought fondly.

Sergeant Barnes crossed his right hand over his heart. “Never.”

“Okay. That’s just wrong, I cannot live my life in good conscience without introducing you to the wonders of sushi. Come on, go get your coat, chop chop,” sir rattled while herding sergeant Barnes to the door.

JARVIS felt a warm sense of accomplishment when sergeant Barnes winked at one of his cameras before leaving.

 

~~~~

 

January 21st 3:40 am _Sir’s sleeping quarters_

 

“It’s Januari 21th, the time is 3.40 in the morning. You’re in Stark Tower in New York. It’s currently 26 degrees and overcast. The weather is predicted to clear up in the morning. The current stocks are…” JARVIS droned on until sir waved for him to stop, wiping his face with his other hand.

“Thanks J. How long this time?”

“You’ve slept peacefully for an approximate four hours and twenty two minutes,” JARVIS replied. He couldn’t help but feel worry. Usually sir’s sleeping pattern improved after the start of the new year, but these last few weeks he didn’t reach an average five hours per night. Sir should at least have a six hour average at his age.

Sir nodded and stepped into the bathroom to shower. JARVIS made sure the temperature of both water and bathroom were above normal, sir always felt chilly after a nightmare. Simultaneously he noticed sergeant Barnes sitting up straight in bed with a gasp, and JARVIS intoned the same things he had for sir. Sergeant Barnes was quicker to recover, and got out of bed to walk to the elevator. JARVIS lighting his way very softly.

“Common room, sergeant?”

The sergeant only nodded, rubbing his hands over his face over and over, like he could somehow erase what he had dreamed about. How much easier would it be if humans could erase memories as easily as he could.

 

~~~~~

 

January 21st 4:12 am _common room_

 

JARVIS had suggested that sir might be better off going to the common room instead of his workshop, and it was a testament to how bad the nightmare had been that he didn’t argue but went where JARVIS sent the elevator.

“I’m making warm cocoa, you want some?” Sergeant Barnes was stirring in a pan when sir gingerly walked into the kitchen.

“You sure?” Sir seemed ready to leave, but JARVIS had faith in the sergeant.

“Look, I'm making Minnie Barnes’ secret recipe, you can't say no to my nana's cocoa, Tony.” Sergeant Barnes didn't look up from where he was stirring, but JARVIS detected a faint smile when sir walked further into the kitchen and sat at the counter.

Sir sniffed. “What’s in it?”

The sergeant tutted. “Tony, you should know better than to ask after an age old family secret.”

Sir looked curious now, always a good sign, although his posture still held too much tension. The sergeant stirred without hurry, and slowly the rigidity dissipated from sir’s spine. When the sergeant finally poured them the cocoa sir was almost back to himself, and he let out a contented sigh.

“You’re sure I can’t persuade you to give me the recipe?” He asked after the first sip.

The sergeant merely nodded, sipping his own drink.

“Gotta keep you around then, Frosty,” sir replied with a grin.

The smile the sergeant sent back made JARVIS adjust the estimated chance of success of his mission upwards with 7.9 percent.

 

~~~~~

 

January 25th 4.56 pm _workshop_

 

“Tonyyyyy, you _have_ to come with me tonight!” Sergeant Barnes pleaded while lying on the couch and playing fetch with DUM-E.

“Can’t Bronco, Pepper threatened to leave me alone at the next five board meetings if I don’t finally sign that stack of paperwork she left me by tomorrow morning.” Sir pointed at a stack of papers at the far side of his desk, where he was currently tinkering with master Parker’s suit.

“Sirs, if I may, I could change the tickets to tomorrow’s viewing,” JARVIS interjected.

“I feel like I’m being set up here. Why remains the question.” Sir didn’t seem particularly upset so JARVIS stayed quiet.

“Tony, it’s Star Wars! In 4D, that’s like a two Ds more than back in my day,” the sergeant ignored sir’s jab.

“If you promise you don’t throw up on me you have yourself a date,” Sir said, still bent over the suit.

JARVIS noticed the sergeant stiffen on the couch, the ball clutched in his hand. Sir seemed unaware and after a few seconds DUM-E prodded the sergeant, who hurriedly threw the ball again.

 

~~~~~

 

January 30th 10.22 am _hallway 74.b (from gym to private elevator)_

 

“You owe me consolation cake, Barnacle. You can’t laugh in the face of my despair and not buy me cake. Or bake me cake, this is also acceptable, but cake there will be.” Sir was pushing a non resisting sergeant to the elevator after stubbing his toe onto, and nearly falling over, a dumbbell the sergeant had left on the ground.

 

~~~~~

 

January 31st 6.45 pm _workshop_

 

“What if I went with you to that fundraiser? I wouldn’t mind, been a while since I last danced.” Sergeant Barnes demonstrated a dance move with, to JARVIS’ eye, unnecessary hip movements. Sir seemed to like it though, going by the blush on his neck.

“That’s… that would be… really? At best they’re no fun at all, and it'll probably be closer to horrible. You’re better off going out dancing with the Capsicle if that’s what you’re aiming for.” Sir seemed more flustered than usual.

The sergeant barked a laugh. “Stevie? Have you seen the man dance? Serum did a lot of good things to him, but it didn’t give him a sense of rhythm. God, imagine all 220 pounds of him stepping on your toes.” The sergeant shook his head. “I’d much rather dance with you.”

Both men stared at each other for a few moments after this statement. JARVIS believed the phrase ‘like a rabbit caught in headlights’ applied to them both and he had high hopes this would accelerate his mission.

Sir was first to recover. “Great. That’s excellent. Very good even. Perfect. I’ll have Happy pick us up at what, J?”

“The charity ball will begin at nine, it would be prudent to leave 8.30 at the latest,” JARVIS replied.

“See you at nine in the garage then.” Sir quickly turned back to his work, but JARVIS noticed he just randomly opened a file, while the sergeant walked to the exit.

“What the hell just happened, J?” Sir asked when the doors closed behind the sergeant.

“I believe you have a date, sir. It might be advisable to take a shower.”

“Are you saying that I stink? Did I program you like this? I can’t have, that is nothing like me,” sir groused as he made his way to the exit too.

 

~~~~~

 

February 1st 1.27 am _private elevator, sergeant Barnes’ floor_

 

Sergeant Barnes was standing half in, half out the elevator, looking at sir. They both seemed to want to say something, but refrained, smiling instead and wishing each other a good night.

 

~~~~~

 

February 4th 2.34 pm _common room_

 

Sir and the sergeant exited the kitchen and went into the private elevator together, talking about the Buick Skylark they had started to restore to its former glory. JARVIS was pleased to notice sir was more and more his rambunctious self around the sergeant, a side of himself he usually only showed to colonel Rhodes.

After the elevator closed captain Rogers turned to miss Romanof. “Bucky and Tony sure seem chummy don’t they?”

Miss Romanof merely nodded in answer, not looking up from the novel she was reading.

 

~~~~~

 

February 9th 11.40 pm _Sergeant Barnes’ quarters_

 

“JARVIS?” The sergeant sat on the couch in his living space, unusually fidgety.

“How may I be of assistance, James?”

The sergeant had asked JARVIS to ‘cut it out with the sergeant’, so he called him James now when they spoke. In the privacy of his own thoughts JARVIS kept to sergeant, it was only proper.

“Well… It’s about Tony…” The sergeant rubbed his neck as he spoke. “He err… I might have… I kinda wanna… It’s nearly Valentines?”

“I’m not sure what you’re asking me, James.” Sometimes JARVIS had fun acting like a thick computer program. It could drive sir up the wall.

“What does Tony like?” The sergeant blurted out. “Romantically. What does he like romantically?”

“Do you mean in a gift, or perhaps in an outing?”

“Both, I think. You don’t mind me asking you? You know him the best, apart from Pepper and Rhodey of course, and no way in hell am I gonna ask _them_. I like my unmentionables just where they are.”

JARVIS chuckled. He didn’t think the sergeant had that much to fear from sir’s friends. They all seemed to have the same goal in mind. “Sir would be pleased with any gift, seeing as he doesn’t receive them all that often, but he has a special preference for old science fiction novels. As for a place to take him, he loves simple things for himself, even if he tends to go overboard for others.”

The sergeant sat thoughtful for a moment, before smiling at one of the cameras. “Thank you, J.”

“You’re quite welcome, James.”

“Oh and J? Could you make sure his schedule is free the evening of the 14th?”

“Of course.”

 

~~~~~

 

February 15th 0.54 am _private garage_

 

The Aston Martin had rolled into the garage nearly twenty minutes prior, but sir and the sergeant had yet to get out of the vehicle. After the car came to a halt the men surged towards each other in a gesture of mutual affection, and JARVIS felt nearly giddy at this successful conclusion of his mission. And three weeks sooner than he had anticipated too.

 

In the silence of the workshop he gave DUM-E the signal: job well done.

**Author's Note:**

> JARVIS of course knows about fandom and shipnames, but he'd rather put sir's name up front.
> 
>  
> 
> Comments are always welcome!
> 
> Come say hi on [Tumblr](http://bill-longbow.tumblr.com) or join us on the [ Stuckony discord server ](https://discord.gg/jtXcc3n) for all things Tony, Bucky and Steve!


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